For the last several months, Erin Hannon has traveled the
country looking for the perfect fit to continue her track and field
career.
Finally, the Bradford High senior found it – 18 hours west of
Bradford in the nation’s midsection – Lincoln, Neb.
Hannon, the number one returning indoor high jumper in the
country according to DyeStat, took advantage of the early signing
period and accepted an offer Nov. 9 to attend the University of
Nebraska on a full track and field scholarship.
“It (the recruiting process) was a once-in-a-lifetime
experience,” Hannon, 17, said. “I met so many great people, coaches
and athletes, but I’m glad it’s over and I can get back to being a
normal high school senior.”
Hannon’s coach, Larry Stillman, and her parents, Bob and Tammie
Hannon, knew she had what it took to compete on the Division I
level, but thought it might take some persuading on their parts to
convince any major schools to take an interest in an athlete from
rural northwestern Pennsylvania.
However, after recording a 5’10” high jump at the highly visible
indoor state meet, then going on to win the high jump at the Nike
Indoor National Championships two weeks later, the Hannons received
a congratulatory e-mail from a long-time track and field enthusiast
who stated that “Erin had just stamped her free ticket” to the
college of her choice.
Which proved to be right.
With recent changes in the NCAA recruiting rules, colleges are
permitted to contact recruits one time during the month of March of
their junior year of high school – so Erin and her family got a
taste of what was to come.ð
However nothing could have prepared them for what would happen
once the floodgates opened July 1. Starting July 1 of the senior
year, colleges can start calling recruits once a week.
“I got my first call at 8:30 in the morning on July 1 – it was
Harvard University,” Hannon noted. “They woke me up. I ended up
getting about 20 calls that day.”
Then the home visits started.
“Everyone wanted to come to Bradford because nobody knew where
it was,” Hannon noted.
Recruits are allowed to take five official (all expense paid)
visits. Based on the phone calls, media received and home visits,
Hannon narrowed her schools down to eight she considered visiting –
University of Nebraska, University of Louisville, Notre Dame
University, University of North Carolina, University of Virginia,
University of Connecticut, University of Wisconsin and Penn
State.
She ended up visiting Nebraska, Louisville, Virginia and UConn.
A fifth visit to Notre Dame was planned but then later canceled as
her mind was set on Nebraska. Other schools making her initial list
included Clemson, South Carolina, Washington, Miami, Maryland,
South Florida and Purdue.
Why Nebraska?
“I just loved the facilities and the university’s total
commitment to its athletes,” Hannon declared. “They get the best of
everything; from food to equipment to academic support.
“Nebraska is a school that knows how to win championships, in
all their sports. I am so excited to be a part of that and hope to
one day make my own contributions toward their winning
tradition.
“It is far (from Bradford) but I really felt comfortable there,
and besides, most Division I indoor and outdoor track schedules are
pretty intense and would prevent me from getting home much wherever
I went to school, so I had to pick the place that felt the most
like home.”
Hannon’s personal best marks are 5’10” in the high jump, 39’6″
in the triple jump and 18’5″ in the long jump.
In the 2005-06 preseason indoor rankings, Hannon is ranked
number one in the high jump, fourth in the triple jump and 14th in
the long jump, according to DyeStat.
According to Track & Field News, she finished as the number
eight prep high jumper in the country for indoor and outdoor
combined in 2005.
She has earned All-American certificates in the indoor high jump
(2005) and indoor triple jump (2005).
In addition, she garnered all-state certificates in 2005 in the
indoor high jump, indoor triple jump and indoor long jump.
She was the District 9 Class AAA track and field MVP in 2003,
2004 and 2005 and earned berths to the PIAA championships all three
years in four events.
School records held include indoor high, triple and long jumps
and outdoor high, triple and long jumps. District records are the
outdoor triple and long jumps.
The Hannon family thanked the individuals who assisted Erin in
the recruiting process – Stillman, Ken Coffman, Tim Walter, Pam
Digel, John Eaton, Judy Abbey, the BHS Guidance Department and the
BHS track and field coaching staff.
Stillman, who has coached Hannon for three straight years, said,
“Speaking for all the track and field coaches we are all very happy
for Erin.
“She has worked hard and her talent, dedication and commitment
has earned her this scholarship.
“It has been a pleasure to work with her these past three years
– with one more season to go (spring 2006).
“We all wish her nothing but the best in her future at Nebraska
and beyond. They are getting a great athlete and an even nicer
young lady.”
